Service, Justice & Ministry Partners
Freedom School Snack Bag Service Project
A huge thank-you to the congregation members who put together 100 snack bags on Sunday, July 13 for the 50 children attending Freedom School® at Christ the River of Life in Minneapolis this summer. PHOTOS
This free six-week program hosted by Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS-MN) in partnership with Children's Defense Fund (CDF), builds academic skills through high-quality STEM education and summer reading activities. In addition to education, Freedom School® students receive two nutritious meals and a snack daily, as well as a culturally relevant book each week to build their home libraries.
Start Shopping for School Supplies
Each year we at Immanuel help to provide school supplies for 120+ students at Prairie View Elementary School. If you are interested in purchasing the school supplies for a student, please sign up using the link below. You will have the option to sponsor a student(s) from a specific grade level and after signing up you will be sent their supply list. Each list costs about $20-35 to complete. All supplies must be returned to Immanuel by August 20.
- Additional opportunities for service and donations include:
- Providing school supplies for Cristo Obrero (not a designated list).
- Backpack donations for elementary aged students.
- Volunteer to deliver supplies to Prairie View August 25-27
- Volunteer to hand out school supplies at Prairie View’s back-to-school event on August 27
- Volunteer at Cristo Obrero’s back to school event on August 28
Sign up HERE.
Game Night at Immanuel Lutheran Church!
Date: Friday, September 12th
Time: 4-8pm
Benefits: Cristo Obrero
Location: Immanuel Lutheran Church parking lot under the big tent
What: Come join us for night of game! We will have games of all sorts- card games, board games and yard games! Come play your favorite games with new friends or try out a game you’ve never played before. There will be options for all ages.
Food: Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pizza Karma, Lions Beer Truck (TBD)
Cost: Your support makes a difference, contribute what you can!
Registration not necessary, come rain or shine!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Sign-up here.
Contact: Deacon Savannah Olaphson
How your compassion is helping in Texas
The full scope of the damage from flooding in the Texas hill country is still unknown. What we do know is hundreds of families are in urgent need of basic supplies as they clean up, recover and navigate immense grief and loss. In these early days, your compassion is providing Lutheran World Relief Quilts and Kits as well as distributing emergency food, water, tarps, clean up kits, hygiene supplies and clothing to people whose homes were damaged or destroyed. LWR and our partners continue to assess needs and — with your generous support — will expand our response as we are able.
Thank you for your compassion, generosity and continued prayer as relief efforts continue.
GIVE: TEXAS FLOODS: You can rush help to neighbors. | Lutheran World Relief
PROP Summer Food Program 2025
PROP provides nourishment to people in our community experiencing food insecurity. PROP also offers comprehensive support to Eden Prairie and Chanhassen residents facing financial, housing or employment insecurity so that they may reach their goals for a more secure tomorrow. During the summer months need increase as kids are home from school. This year Immanuel has been challenged to provide 1,350 5oz cans of tuna in water. Beginning in May we will work to reach a monthly goal of 450 cans for each month: May, June, July.
Donations can be delivered to the collection corner in the Atrium at Immanuel. Cash donations are also needed. Click GIVE and select the fund for PROP to give a financial gift towards the summer campaign.
Ministry Partner Visits
Here at Immanuel, we are blessed with some incredible congregational partners and over the summer we invite you to join Deacon Savannah in attending worship with each of them! You can see the dates for each below, and please sign up HERE if you plan to attend.
- July 21st – Cristo Obrero at Canterbury, 6pm (carpool from Immanuel 5:15pm)
- August 3rd- All Nations Indian Church, 10:15 am (carpool from Immanuel at 9:30 am)
- August 24th – Redeemer Lutheran Church, 10:30 am (carpool from Immanuel at 9:45am)
Little Dresses for Africa
Humanitarian relief to the most vulnerable of God’s children
If you can do basic sewing, we have a perfect project for you! Pillowcase dresses, made by volunteers from around the world, go out as little ambassadors to plant in the hearts of little girls that they are worthy. As relationships are built, projects are completed through clean water, education and community. Premade kits are available to make six pillowcase dresses. Pick up a kit in the atrium at Immanuel. Donations of pillowcases, rickrack, bias tape and thread are also welcome. For more information contact Ilene McCluskey 952-941-8471.
Our Immigrant Neighbors
Update from the Service & Justice Committee
We, your Immanuel Service & Justice Team, share your concerns about our neighbors who are immigrants. We are following our partners’ leads and accompanying them in short- and long-term efforts they indicate are useful. Please call Immanuel’s office (952-937-8123) to volunteer as a notary, lawyer (especially with immigration experience), Spanish-speaker and/or copying assistant. We also anticipate fundraising events with our partners. The Team also is using guidance and resources from:
- Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service [LIRS])
- ELCA’s AMMPARO Migrant Ministry (including their Facebook posts)
- Lutheran Social Service’s Refugee Services
We will update you as we receive additional information. If you know someone who is seeking immigration information, please contact us. You can help by supporting local businesses, including restaurants, owned and/or operated by folks who are immigrants. They may be struggling because their usual customers are staying home out of fear.
Minneapolis Area Synod Resources
In recent weeks, our synod office has received requests for resources and information about immigration, ICE enforcement, and support for immigrant communities. They have compiled a webpage in English and Espanol with pastoral messages, trainings, resources, articles, and other helpful links related to the recent executive orders and the impact they have on those in our communities. If you have resources to share, please send to Nicholas Tangen.
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Truth & Healing Group
During the past year the ELCA has initiated the “Truth & Healing Movement” as an intentional opportunity for the church to increase it’s understanding of our colonizing impacts on Indigenous people in the past and present. The movement is focused on providing opportunities to learn the true, and largely ignored, history and current realities of Indigenous people with the hope that by listening and learning, these truths will bring healing for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike.
At Immanuel, we have decided to start a group committed to this work within our own context here in Eden Prairie and in Minnesota. We will be meeting monthly over the course of the next 9-12 months to learn together and to form our own action plans for how we might be better neighbors- following the guidance of Native Governance Center. Learn more!
Have an Hour or Two?
Become an on-call servant!
We know your life is busy but we also know you have a heart for helping others. We can help! Immanuel often has opportunities to assist with projects that require a very limited time commitment. Consider joining our On-Call Servant email list! When a need arises we will send an email and if you are available to help, let us know. It's that easy! Send an email to Sarah (sarah@immanuel.us) in the office and you will be added to the distribution list.
Diaper Squad
Support our partner Redeemer Lutheran as they help with a food shelf in their neighborhood. Donations ofbaby wipes and diapers of all sizes are needed - these items are in high demand for families accessing food shelves. Volunteers are needed to deliver diapers to N. Minneapolis the first Saturday of the month.
A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.